Reddit reviews Femininity

Susan Brownmiller's book Femininity was an important text for me in terms of figuring out how to negotiate the requirements of cultural femininity in the context of being a radical feminist.

https://www.amazon.com/Femininity-Susan-Brownmiller/dp/0449901424/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

From a review:

"Insecurity about whether we are sufficiently feminine runs deep in girls and women, particularly as we break the stereotypical values of our culture that still honors motherhood at the top of the heap of what a female should want most in life. At a time when women are breaking through traditional barriers at work, in sports, in politics, etc. we are also tying ourselves in knots in order to present a nonthreatening appearance-- be it via ridiculous shoes, thigh-high skirts, long blonde hair, a show of bosom, or a soft reticence and wide-eyed attitude that hides efficiency and assertiveness when in the company of men.

"This book acknowledges that some aspects of femininity are based on biological femaleness, while other entrenched aspects are merely restrictive cultural impositions that allow men to feel more comfortable in their masculinity without having to leap through hoops or tie themselves in knots. It also acknowledges that "the feminine esthetic" can be beautiful and fun. But when it works against accomplishment and achievement, call it the handicap that it rightly is."

It's not even in print anymore! OMG that is so sad.

Susan Brownmiller's book "Femininity" is a great read. It's a personal meditation as well as a more general discussion of the question of 'feminine' grooming standards - and how she, as a feminist, navigated these issues for herself.
https://www.amazon.com/Femininity-Susan-Brownmiller/dp/0449901424/ref=la_B000APM7NS_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1520437581&sr=1-3